SAN JOSE -- The first time I went to the All-Star Game I was just completely starstruck.
It was my first year in the League and I hadn't even gotten used to the NHL and playing at that level, and then all of a sudden I'm thrown into the skills competition as a rookie invite. I had to stickhandle through pucks and I remember not saying too much to any of the players because I wanted to show respect and didn't want to step on anybody's toes.
It was everybody, really. Back then the format was Daniel Alfredsson was the captain, Zdeno Chara was the other captain, and those guys were obviously way up there for me. I was 18, 19 years old, and Alfredsson was one of my idols growing up, so that was really cool. A lot of those guys are still in the League: Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby.
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Now here we are seven years later and I feel a lot more comfortable in my position on the team in Colorado and also in the League, and it's cool to meet a lot of these guys. A lot of these players I've met before at certain events, but nonetheless I'm really excited for the whole event.
I think I'm going to do stickhandling through pucks tomorrow at the skills competition and I did that my rookie year as well. That time I was able to go through it without messing up, so hopefully I'll be able to duplicate the same effort tomorrow. When they told me what I was doing, I was a little bit surprised, but also excited. Just going to roll with it.
I've always liked the accuracy shooting. That looks like a lot of fun, but other than that I just wanted to do anything but the fastest skater. I think anything but that and I would have been happy. It's partly about my feelings about my own speed but mostly about Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel and Nathan MacKinnon and guys like that. I wouldn't want to be doing that.
I'm really excited for the whole thing, and a little bit nervous. I think that's normal being a first timer, not exactly knowing what to expect. But it's going to be really fun. It's hard to explain the nerves.
It's not crazy nerves because you know a lot of people, but at the same time it's more just the unfamiliarity of the whole situation and what you're going to do and what to expect from certain things. At the same time, my mindset's going to be the same as it is with other things, to enjoy it, to have fun and to keep a smile on my face and just go with it.
It helps that Mikko Rantanen is here too. It's a guy to lean on and it's a guy that, with it being his first time as well, we'll be able to help each other out and talk to one another and enjoy the whole experience, really. It's going to be a blast. Nate's been here a few times before, so we'll be able to ask him a few questions too.
I was so starstruck that first time. But I don't think that people are looking at me like that now. I don't really see myself as an all-star, so I don't think I'm that special. But I try to do my job as well as I can - and if you inspire some kids along the way, then it's great.
